Chrysanthemum plant named ‘PERONI ORANGE’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘PERONI ORANGE’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly rounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and decorative-type inflorescences with greyed orange-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum X morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PERONI ORANGE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum X morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PERONI ORANGE’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniformly mounding and freely flowering Chrysanthemum plants with unique and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in September, 2012 in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as code number GE09 1837, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Sinelli Yellow’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,763, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in September, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by vegetative terminal cuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in January, 2014. Asexual reproduction by vegetative terminal cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PERONI ORANGE’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PERONI ORANGE’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly rounded plant         habit; vigorous growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Decorative-type inflorescences with greyed orange-colored ray         florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more flexible than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are darker green in         color than leaves of plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are greyed         orange in color whereas ray florets of plants of the female         parent selection are gold in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Sinelli Yellow’. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Sinelli Yellow’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more vigorous and larger         than plants of ‘Sinelli Yellow’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more flexible than plants         of ‘Sinelli Yellow’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about three weeks         later than plants of ‘Sinelli Yellow’.     -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are greyed         orange in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘Sinelli         Yellow’ are yellow in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Veritas Orange’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,254. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Veritas Orange’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are not as vigorous as plants         of ‘Veritas Orange’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about three weeks         later than plants of ‘Veritas Orange’.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are greyed         orange in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘Veritas         Orange’ are dark orange in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PERONI ORANGE’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 19-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium during the summer and autumn and under cultural practices generally used in commercial Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 18° C. Plants were 20 weeks old when the photograph and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2005 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘PERONI     ORANGE’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as code number GE09             1837, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Sinelli             Yellow’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,763. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 20 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 40 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Perennial decorative-type Chrysanthemum; stems             upright and outwardly spreading giving a uniformly rounded             appearance to the plant; plants roughly spherical; very             freely branching habit, about 25 to 30 primary lateral             branches develop each primary lateral branch with multiple             secondary branches; pinching enhances lateral branch             development; dense and full plant habit; vigorous growth             habit; plants flexible, not brittle.         -   Plant height.—About 50 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 60 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 30 cm to 35 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm to 3 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength:             Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent, fine; longitudinally             ridged. Color: Close to 136A.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 3.5 cm             to 5 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm to 3 cm. Apex: Rounded to             cuspidate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed and             serrate, sinuses between lateral lobes divergent to             parallel. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly             pubescent. Venation: Palmately reticulate. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to 136A; venation, close to 148C. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 147B to 147C. Petioles: Length: About 1 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Slightly pubescent; rough. Color, upper surface: Close to             136A. Color, lower surface: Close to 137C. Stipules: Length:             About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Slightly pubescent; rough. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 137A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form;             inflorescences borne on terminals above foliar plane; disc             and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pungent.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             flower in early September in Belgium; flowering response             time, about 35 days.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about 45 days in an outdoor nursery;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—About 30 inflorescences develop             per lateral branch.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 6 mm. Diameter: About             8 mm. Shape: Globular. Color: Close to 172A.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Inflorescence depth (height).—About 3.5 cm.         -   Disc diameter.—About 5 mm; inconspicuous.         -   Receptacle diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Receptacle height.—About 2.5 mm to 3 mm.         -   Receptacle color.—Close to 144B.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.5 cm to 5 cm. Width: About             5 mm. Shape: Oval. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Number of ray             florets per inflorescence: About 150 to 200 arranged in             about ten whorls. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 172A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 167B. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 167B; color does             not fade with development.         -   Disc florets.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm to             1 mm. Shape: Tubular; apices acute. Number of disc florets             per inflorescence: About 50 massed at the center of the             inflorescence. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature:             Close to 145A. Color, mature: Close to 12A.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 25             arranged in two or three whorls. Length: About 4 mm to 6 mm.             Width: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded.             Base: Rounded to truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:             Close to 137A. Color, lower surface: Close to N137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 6 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 6 cm. Length, seventh peduncle: About             6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: About 30° from vertical.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close             to 136A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Not observed.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date seed and fruit production have not             been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     demonstrated excellent garden performance and will tolerate     temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 45° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘PERONI ORANGE’ as illustrated and described. 